Subject: Re: CCL:Molecular Modelling: On-line case studies?

From: [email-masked] (Alan Shusterman)
Date: 09 Feb 98 11:38:14 PST

--- You wrote:
I am aware that there is a great deal of similar taught material out there,
some protected behind  "course passwords", some not. Of the stuff that is
freely accessible, does anyone have any particular recommendations, or
successes?  Most of the material is also "themed". Mine for example
concentrates on organic chemistry.

From the point of "virtual courses", I am gradually coming to the idea that a
combination of classical lecture (even using chalk!) and  "enhanced"  materials
might succeed better than entirely virtual courses. This is similar to the idea
of "enhancing" an e-journal, as opposed to merely delivering it electronically. 
Comments?
--- end of quote ---
There can be no question that a computer screen is a less friendly reading
environment than a textbook. This year my organic chemistry course used its
freely accessible web site (www.reed.edu/~alan/210) in several ways:
1. document delivery (homework problems and answers, in-class problems and
answers, exams and old exams)
2. lecture notes enhanced with computer models used in class
3. material about computer models that couldn't be obtained from the textbook
4. class administration
A very small number (<3 out of 74) of students complained about this approach,
but a much larger number found it easy and even convenient to use (there were
no complaints about missing library documents, for example). The real downside,
in my opinion, is that very few students ever walked into the Chemistry
building outside of class. They used to come around to look at posted notes,
but there weren't any this year, and so I and they both missed out on some
potentially useful interactions.

Finally, in regards to Hens' comment about computing resources and entertaining
discussions in the computer room: I completely agree. Bringing students (and
teachers) together to look at models is extremely important. Unfortunately,
many schools lack the necessary resources, or it is not convenient for students
to meet in such a room. Wavefunction will soon release (April '98) The
Molecular Modeling Workbook for Organic Chemistry (W. Hehre, J. Nelson, and
myself as authors) that allows ochem students to solve about 150-200 different
model-based problems using their personal computer and prebuilt models provided
on CDROM. Many of these models will also make fine lecture aids, and the
browser software provided on CDROM can be used by teachers to distribute other
models that they have built. So it will be possible to have a computational
chemistry "party" in the dormitory room and not just in the Chemistry building.
-Alan

-----------
Alan Shusterman
Department of Chemistry
Reed College
Portland, OR
www.reed.edu/~alan